THe Book Depository

[BPP]

Anyone buy regularly from The Book Depository? I've ordered 4 things from them in the last month and 2 have been damaged in a 'dropped before packaging' way. Packaging seems inadequate too - stuff Amazon would put in a box (The Parker Martini edition, Manara volumes) they put in the bare flatpack-plus-tiny-overlap style packaging not suited to the weight of those volumes.

Quickly moving to the 'not worth the cash saved dept'.

[James Stacey]

They are actually owned by Amazon now aren't they, but yes their packaging does tend to be woefully inadequate. I had a cd (card boxed not jewel cased) arrive this morning flattened, Amazon can be as bad

[BPP]

Are they owned by Amazon? Hum. Their returns seems alot more 'we're going to dispute this' than amazon. Have a vague feeling I'm going to have to buy a second copy off amazon and send this dodgy one to them under their no-quibbles returns unless I want a 40 quid book with a torn leather cover.

[Colin YNWA]

Yeah Amazon took them over a while back.

I use them regularly. I never have too many problems, but then I'm not precious about the condition of my books. The odd little bump or scrap I can live with and I've never had anything more. That said compared to Amazon the packaging isn't even close. 

[Mark Taylor]

I quit using The Book Depository two or three years ago due to far too many of the books I ordered arriving in less than satisfactory condition. I have occasional problems with Amazon too, but much less frequently.

[radiator]

I occasionally get those faint streaks that come from the books being mechanically sorted, but nothing other than that.

[BPP]

This has a huge gash along the (probably mock) leather spine. Hardly ideal in a coffee-table book.

[JOE SOAP]

The Book Suppository spend fuck all on packaging and that's the cheaper compromise.

[Taryn Tailz]

I've ordered from The Book Depository many times, and have never had a problem with an order.

[Charlie boy]

I've had no problems CD wise but don't take a risk with them when it comes to books. Every book I ordered was the German language edition (and when a book you've got somebody as a gift arrives in the German language and your friend does not speak German, that's a pain). One book- which was sold as new- also had a letter inside it from a customer who was returning it for not being in English.

[sheldipez]

One book- which was sold as new- also had a letter inside it from a customer who was returning it for not being in English.

Wow, just wow. I wonder how many times that book has been returned and resold. It wasn't Metro 2034 was it, thats got to be Amazon's most returned, complained about book.

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

I accidentally ordered a US graphic novel from these guys once. Apparently "in stock" but weirdly I then had to wait ages for the book to be flown over from America.

That was years ago and they still spam me, in defiance of my multiple unsubscribe requests.

It would be fair to say I don't like The Book Depository very much.

[mogzilla]

only gripe is buying a couple of books at the same time then being delivered seperately so forking out for two lots of postage but everything else has always been fine.

[Mattofthespurs]

Never had a problem with BD. Their delivery times can be slow at times but their packaging, as far as I'm concerned, has always been fine.

[vark]

I have open a general topic on a French forum regarding the quality of the packaging associated with expensive US deluxe or absolute editions books. Like most people there and here, for a few months now I have received numerous damaged book from amazon.com (because of poorly packaging not handling) so I have asked for advice to switch provider.
I have made a test order with Barnes and Noble but it's exactly the same problem: the box was too large and the books could freely move inside (no lateral or frontal protections) on top on one another (and they were not bagged). One of the dust jacket and cover was good to take in the trash and the other dust jacket shows numerous friction marks like it was a ten year old book.
I have tried also FP UK but 3 of my 4 order was cancelled because unless what was stated on their site (great bargain in general) there were unable to provide a copy. The fourth was an IDW artist edition, and FP has added an outer box to the IDW existing one, with polystyrene chunks to stall the inner box.

So I will try amazon.uk because I never experienced problem with them although I only order Rebellion's GN which are probably easier to handle. Does anyone has a reliable US provider for these kind of fragile and heavy books?